The Duality of Constantinople: Greek or Roman?
The later medieval Byzantines, often referred to by their European neighbors as Greeks, saw themselves as Romans. This duality of identity played a significant role in the history and cultural fabric of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the 'Byzantine Empire'. The citizens of this empire were both Greek and Roman, representing a rich tapestry of cultural and ethnic diversity.
Identity and Duality
The Byzantine Empire, as a remnant of the earlier Roman state and holder of a Greco-Roman civilization, adopted a dual identity that neither Greeks nor Romans alone could fully encapsulate. By the time the Eastern Byzantines came to be, they were Roman in terms of political identity, the inheritors of a grand historical lineage. However, their ethnic and cultural heritage was predominantly Greek, which is evident from their continued use of the Greek language and Greco-Roman traditions.
Eastern Byzantine neighbors referred to them as 'Romans', contributing to the complex identity of the Byzantines. For instance, when the Byzantines lost territories in Asia Minor to the Islamic Caliphate, the new state created there was named the Sultanate of Rum. The term 'Rum' was a direct reference to the Eastern Roman Empire, highlighting its Roman heritage.
Byzantine Society and Multi-Ethnic Identity
The Byzantine society was incredibly diverse, including Christian Greeks, Slavs and Bulgarians, Armenians, Georgians, Coptics, and Jewish populations. Through the centuries, the Byzantine Empire remained a multi-ethnic realm, with the Greek ethnic element playing a dominant role. This unity was achieved under the Christian ideal and cultural orbit of Constantinople. Initially, the empire's controlled territories encompassed the former lands of ancient Hellenistic kingdoms, where Greek had been the lingua franca since the Hellenistic era.
By the 7th century, after the loss of territories to the Islamic Caliphate, the empire became increasingly Greek, both linguistically and ethnically. This pivotal shift occurred under the Heraclian Dynasty, which also adopted Greek as the official administrative language. Despite this, the Byzantines retained their Roman identity in terms of political and cultural continuity, maintaining the attributes of both Greek and Roman heritage.
Legal and Military Continuity
The Byzantine Empire was, in essence, a direct continuation of the Roman Empire. Through the 8th century, the term 'Roman' began to be synonymous with the Greek-speaking, Christian Orthodox populations within the empire's borders. This dual identity was crucial to the Byzantine concept of imperial continuity, emphasizing not only the linguistic and cultural but also the political and legal legacies of the ancient Roman Empire.
Conclusion
The duality of Constantinople as both Greek and Roman reflects the complex history and cultural identity of the Byzantine Empire. This rich blend of cultures played a significant role in its enduring legacy and contributed to its survival for over a thousand years. Understanding this duality is key to comprehending the complexities of the Byzantine identity and its historical impact.